68. Crocodile & Nico Robin

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"Aren't they just pirates? What's so frightening about him? Alabasta has 600,000 troops. Why should we worry about pirates?" Vivi remarked dismissively, glancing at the others.

"The strength of a pirate can sometimes be beyond your imagination especially the Four Emperors in the New World."

"Any one of them could destroy a Kingdom single-handedly. In the face of such power, sheer numbers mean nothing when the army's quality is poor," Anos replied without lifting his gaze.

Setting down his chopsticks and wiping his mouth with a napkin, he continued, "Take Whitebeard, for instance. With the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, he can reshape landscapes with a single punch."

"Hundreds of thousands of soldiers would be like ants before him. As for the Shichibukai, while they may not be as powerful, they possess undeniable strength."

"Do you understand just how strong the peak of power in this world can be?" Anos asked, looking at Vivi.

She shook her head. Having never left Alabasta, she couldn't fathom the strength he spoke of.

Her curiosity was piqued, and even Cobra, who was quietly listening, set down his chopsticks, picked up a napkin, and regarded Anos thoughtfully.

"Currently, only a handful of individuals possess overwhelming power, most through Devil Fruits. Some of these fruits grant the ability to devastate a nation instantly like Whitebeard's."

"He is hailed as the strongest man in the world, and even the Pirate King, Roger, avoided confrontation with him, they were evenly matched at best."

"However, a Kingdom's first duty is to safeguard its people. Can you confidently say Alabasta does that?" Anos concluded, changing his tone and smiling at them both.

"Whitebeard is truly that powerful?" Vivi asked, her eyes wide with wonder. "So he can do anything he wants?"

"I haven't been to the New World myself, so I can't say for certain," Anos replied.

"But if Whitebeard decided to act, he would likely succeed." Anos knew more than he let on, but he saw no need to reveal everything.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Daiki and a companion quietly searched the palace cemetery, scanning each grave carefully.

Daiki walked alone among the tombstones, inspecting the ground.

Thanks to the Silver Moon Wolf Devil Fruit, his sense of smell and hearing were far beyond human limits, allowing him to detect details below ground simply by tapping his feet.

After searching for over half an hour, he noted with relief that few guards patrolled the area, meaning he could work undisturbed.

"Captain Daiki, someone's coming!" one of the guards whispered.

Daiki instantly grew serious and quickly concealed himself among the graves. His companions followed, ready to see who would come to the cemetery at such an hour.

A moment later, two figures appeared, a man and a woman, moving quietly and carefully through the cemetery.

Their attire didn't match the palace guards, and they looked like outsiders.

Daiki, hiding in the shadows, recognized the man it was none other than Crocodile, with an 81-million-Beris bounty.

The woman could only be Nico Robin, his accomplice.

Daiki and his team observed every move. It was clear that the pair had been here before, judging by their familiarity with the place.

Recalling Anos's words, Daiki's expression turned icy, and a flicker of menace appeared in his gaze.

He doubted they had come to pay respects; if their goal aligned with his, he wouldn't let them leave alive.

Crocodile led Robin to a particular tombstone, looked around, and then pressed a section of it, revealing a hidden passage.

As the two descended, Daiki slipped in behind them before the door could close, while his companions remained outside, keeping a watchful eye.

"Who's there...?" Crocodile halted as soon as he entered the underground passage, sensing something nearby. His gaze turned icy and suspicious.

"Boss, what's wrong?" Robin asked, noticing his serious expression.

"Did you notice anything strange just now?" Crocodile whispered.

"Boss, don't scare me. This is the royal cemetery of Alabasta's kings, after all. Now you're making it sound even spookier," Robin replied with a faint smile.

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